05: Don't Tell Me in Pain; 'The End Doesn't Justify the Means'

He pushed the doors to the great bathing hall open. Although it was late, hours past midnight, Lucian had heeded as Chief Attendant Wharder had relayed the message saying that Steffan wanted to meet with him there. Yes, he did remember what he'd been told, but also what he'd promised Steffan, and to Lucian the latter was what mattered – no matter the consequences.

Around the walls numerous candles were sitting in holders, flickering flames casting golden glow over the hall and making shadows dance. The water, liquid gold in the candle light, was still and at first glance empty, till he saw the man leaning against one of the walls of the pool gazing contemplatingly over the water.

Lucian smiled and eased the robe off his shoulders and it fell to the floor revealing his naked form. He stepped into the water, a low pleased moan escaping him as warm water engulfed his body.

Leisurely he began to swim across the pool, but he'd barely gotten halfway when he felt a pair of hands catching him. Strong arms wound around him and soon he found himself gazing upon the face of the most beautiful being he'd ever laid his eyes on.

"You wanted to see me?" Lucian said with a breathlessness that surprised him.

"Yes," Steffan said. "I… There's been something bothering me for the last few days." Lucian gave him a curious glance. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

His hand ceasing to play with the long stand of silver blonde hair, Lucian looked up at him not sure what to say.

"I… Because when I woke up I saw things clearer," he began hesitantly. "And I was afraid that so would you. And also because of Pro…"

"How do you mean, that so would I?" Steffan cut him off mid-sentence, frowning. "I saw clearly all along."

"But… the attomons… their influence…"

Steffan gave a soft laugh that echoed between the walls of the hall.

"I've come to tame that," he replied. "I can draw upon it would I feel like it…" He gave Lucian a suggestive smile. "… Thought it hasn't been necessary to do so to make things more… interesting. Had it in me already."

Lucian's eyes had widened and he stared at Steffan, till he noticed that he was staring and looked away feeling his cheeks grow hot. Steffan smiled fondly watching him.

"And the other reason?" Steffan asked, remembering that Lucian had started on a second argument, his left hand thumb tenderly caressing the small of his back.

Lucian hesitated watching the other awkwardly, the blush fading from his cheeks. Yes, the other reason.

"Prosper." When Steffan raised an eyebrow, the smile faltering, he quickly added: "He thinks that you belong to him, and he told me to stay away."

"And you did," There was a disappointed note in Steffan's voice.

"It wasn't easy," Lucian said quickly.

"He does not own me," Steffan said dryly. "And he's arrogant to think so." He relaxed his jaw which he till then hadn't noticed to have tensed. "I gave him chance upon chance but he never took it seriously, and the other night was my last try. I told you, I can only take so much of those games of his. But I won't be playing along anymore."

"You've given up on him," Lucian said, anticipation in his voice. "He's out of the picture now."

"Yes."

One single, simple, word but enough for Lucian to be unable to contain the smile that made its way onto his lips as had his deepest desire been him granted. He moved closer, winding his arms around Steffan's neck, while looking into warm smiling eyes.

Apart from the sound of the water as the bodies moved through it, there was absolute silence - a silence broken only by a faint sound coming from behind one of the ornate pillars by the hall's door as two pair of lips closed on each other.

This one was different from their other rendez-vous, this time Lucian wasn't sunken into the embrace of attomons induced euphoria. Tonight he was in control of himself as his hands moved through silky cascades of hair and his body pressed against his lover's. Tonight any feeling was his own.

He wasn't jealous. HE wasn't JEALOUS. He was NOT jealous.

He could tell it to himself all he wanted, but there would still be a part of him that would, for every time he said it, retort: 'so why are you lurking, spying, in your own house?' And as always he would have no answer and instead he would try to ignore it.

Anton hadn't moved from the spot behind the pillar, silently observing the two men. His original thought with hiding there had been to watch Steffan, to see his reaction on the event that had transpired the night before this, in the Gold Chamber, though he hadn't known that Steffan was expecting company. And as for the reaction, it had left Anton disappointed. Steffan hadn't seemed upset or sad, as in the Chamber, well, yes, at first he had, but soon he'd seemed… relieved.

He sank deeper into the shadows as the two made their way out of the pool, water dripping of their bodies. They donned their robes and left, and all the while Anton had no greater wish than to run out of hiding and cut in between them, to divert Steffan's attention from the other man. But he didn't, he watched them quietly meanwhile dark feelings grew strong within him.

When they left, he gave them a little head start before he followed. Like a shadow, silent and unseen, half unconscious about the plan that was forming in his mind.

As they wandered through a broad hallway in the still of the night they came to the point where they would have to part, and Lucian turned his dark blue eyes at Steffan giving him a forlorn look clearly not wanting the night to end yet.

"Oh, don't give me that look," Anton heard his former lover say gazing upon the brunette. "It makes me feel like I'm abandoning you."

"Let's stay up a little longer," Lucian said.

"No," Steffan replied smiling, reading the tiredness in the other's voice and in his face. "Not tonight. You need to sleep, and so do I."

Anton watched as Lucian reluctantly accepted heading to bed for the night and find time together at a more timely hour the following day. After sharing a tender, lingering kiss they went their separate ways – each to his bedroom.

When both men had passed out of sight and hearing he silently followed down the corridor Lucian had gone down. Knowing by heart every centimeter of the mansion Anton had no problem at all to follow the other while remaining unseen.

He watched as the door slid shut behind Lucian and then he stepped out of the shadows to approach the very door. Instead of bypass the lock mechanism, as he had in mind to do, he reached for the panel on the door's side and inside the room a melodic sound was heard.

A moment passed and then the door slid open, and looking out at him was Lucian. At first he was smiling but when he saw Anton the smile faded. It was obvious that he'd hoped it had been Steffan who'd changed his mind about sleeping.

"Mr. Prosper," he said quietly, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Isn't it a bit late to be up wandering?"

"Indeed," Anton replied, pushing passed Lucian into the room. At entering, he looked around casually while moving further into the room till he turned to its occupant. "Do you remember the talk we had?"

"Um… Yes?"

The uncertainty in the brunette's voice grew more defined.

"Then you remember that we talked extendedly about you and Steffan and whatever you think there is between you two?"

That they had talked was a bit of a stretch, as it had been Anton simply – without in any way trying to hide his intentions (if he'd ever thought of that, that time was far past) – told him what he thought of the relationship that Lucian may or may not have had with Steffan.

"I promised that I would meet him," Lucian said. "He wanted to talk. I couldn't break that promise."

"Really?" Anton's voice had gone low and icy and Lucian took an involuntary step back. "And now what? You'll be able to show some restraint now when you've talked to him, or are you even closer to him?"

He glanced about the room and his eye fell on a small round table on which a single object was on display; on the polished wooden surface a blue-black striped feather was resting. Anton felt his teeth clench as he worked to suppress anger.

He WAS jealous. But he was far beyond realizing or admitting, or even care, about it right now. Steffan had been his from the start, before Anton had even known about it Steffan had been his for the taking, so what made this little brat think he could just take Steffan away from him? At the thought anger flared within him, and showed in his face by the setting of his jaw and the mad fury in his eyes.

"Um…"

He watched as Lucian struggled to find the words all while staring into the blazing eyes that held his and walking backwards towards the door. He had no excuse, Anton thought.

"I guess that it might be hard to show restraint when you're as young as yourself," Anton said, the chill in his voice mixed with anger.

"I'm not much younger than you."

His voice had been defiant and he had said it without thinking, and he'd known in the moment he said it – seeing the fury in Anton's eyes, if possible, grow more intense - that it was a mistake.

"Hmm, you're right," Anton said with deceptively calm voice. "Then to hell with restraint, right?"

He rushed at Lucian and saw him turn to make for the door.

He loosened the restraints that had embraced the pale, slim wrists – observing with a note of approval the bands of dark purple that marred the soft skin. A small pain filled sound passed over lips, cut and bloody from where teeth had dug in attempts to stifle cries of pain, but after that he was silent his eyes downcast.

Adjusting his cloths, the Prince approached the door. He looked back at the still figure, a cold humorless smile barely curving his lips. Pathetic, he thought, what could he possibly see in you?

He opened the door and left silently. For a moment there was no sound at all, followed by a faint movement from the figure left behind and then a gasping sound as he tried to rise to his elbows. But as soon as he'd done so he fell back to lie still, sorrowful sobs escaping him. His eyes traveled to the small round table and he gazed at the long slender form resting on it. He thought of Steffan, and the thought gave him some comfort, thinking that no matter what was done to him as long as he had Steffan's love he could get through anything. No matter what.